Method of and apparatus for building tires



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METHOD OF AND APARATUS FOR BUILDING TIRES vFiled Sept. 22, 1939 1.84 Shee'S--Sheel 18 INVENTOR WALTER J. BRETH www@ ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 9, 1943 METHOD or* AND" APPARATUS Eon BUILnmG 'rmEs walter J. Brein, Akron, ohio, assignor to The General Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application september 22, 1939, serial No. 296,110

59 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for building tires, and more particularly to improvements in the method of and apparatus for building pneumatic tires by what 'is known as the flat ,band process.

In building or assembling pneumatic tires by the so-called at band process, ply material consisting of diagonally disposed parallel cords embedded in the sheet rubber, is Wrapped or placed about the substantially cylindrical outer surface of a drum or building form, and the circumferential marginal edges of the ply material are folded radially inward over the ends of the drum or form. Circular, inextensible beads are placed against the inturned edges of the ply material and the inturned edges are then folded about the beads to retain the latter in place. Additional ply material is then placed or Wrapped about the iirst layer or layers of ply material on the drumvor form, to build up the body of tus for4 folding the marginal edge portions of the ply material around the inextensible beads, in which the folding action is simultaneous around the entire periphery of the edge to be folded. Improvements are also contemplated in the method of and means for supporting a bead and applying the bead to ply material carried by the form or drum.

the tire in a laminated construction. This addition of extra layers of the ply material may be repeated until as many laminations of the ply material have been incorporated in the body of the tire as desired. The circumferential marginal edges of the layers of ply material are preferably folded about the beads so that the diagonally disposed cords embedded in the rubber of the ply material have their ends wrapped or secured around the beads.

According to present methods of manufacture,

the successive layers of ply material are com-v pacted or stitched together by means such as discs which are pressed against the ply material and rolled about the circumference of the drum or form, thus subjecting the ply material to localized pressure and leffecting adhesionv of the ply material layers. The folding of'the marginal edges of the ply material about the beads4 is at present usually performed in a progressive manner. That is to say, one portion of a marginal edge of the ply material is folded over the bead and the folding is then continued progressively around the circumference of the band.

The present invention contemplates numerous improvements in both the method and apparatus for manufacturing tires. It is intended to produce tires of improved construction with a minimum of manual operation and manipulation of the material, and more quickly and at lower cost than heretofore. Particularly, the present'invention contemplates improvements in the method of and means for stitching together or compacting the successive bands or layers of ply material, and a novel method of and appara- The principal object of the invention is, therefore, to provide a generally improved method of manufacturing pneumatic tires, and an apparatus for carrying out such method which is relatively simple in design and construction and produces tires rapidly and at a reduced cost. The invention aims to provide a tire builder which is substantially automatic in operation and which is controlled by adjustable devices which permit alteration in the timing and sequence of the various operations and movements as desired. Other objects and advantages residing in certain features of construction and combinations of parts will become apparent from the following detailed description of an vapparatus embodying the invention, made in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view with parts removed showing a machine for building pneumatic vehicle tires of the character used on automobiles. In this View the machine is shown in open position;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view with parts removed of the tire builder shown in Fig. 1. In this view the machine is shown in closed position;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view, partly in section and with parts removed, of movable carriage or supporting structure at the left hand end of the machine as viewed in Fig. 2 and enlarged with Arespect thereto;

Fig. 4 is an elevational View partly in section Iand with parts removed of the stationary supporting structure at the right hand end of the Fig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view with'parts removed taken through the drum or form in the center of the machine substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical sectional view with'partsl removed taken substantially on the line 9-9 of Fig. 2 and enlarged with respect thereto; I

' Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view with parts removed taken substantially on the line Ill-i of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic detail view partly in section showing one of the folders and part of the actuating means thereof. .In this 'view the folders are shown withdrawn from the drum and expanded;

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11 showing one of the folders and actuating means therefor. In this view the folders are disposed within' the building drum or form;

Figr 13 is an end view partly in section and with parts broken away showing one of the folders, as viewed from line I3-I3 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a sectional detail taken substantially on the line i4--I 4 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary plan View with parts broken away taken substantially on the line indicated at I-l5 of Fig. 13 and enlarged with respect thereto; v

Fig. 16 is a sectional detail taken'substantially .A onthe line lli-46 of Fig. 13 and enlarged with` v respect thereto;

" fFig. 17 is a diagrammatic detailshowing sev- .eral positions of one of the folders during the folding operation to indicate the path thereof relative to the shoulder of the drum or form;

Fig. 18 is a diagrammatic sectional view showing the construction and movement of one of the bead supporting and setting means and one of the smoothing or pressing means;

Fig. 19 is a sectional detail with parts removed taken substantially on the line l3-l9 of Fig. 18; Fig. 2O is a sectional detail taken substantially I von the line 20-20 of Fig. 19 and enlarged with respect thereto;

Fig. 21 is a sectional detail taken substantially -o'n the line 2l2| of Fig. 24 and enlarged with respeci-l thereto;

Fig. 2,2 is a side elevational detail of the wedge ring for the bead setter;

Fig. 23 is a front elevational detail of the wedge ring;

bead setter withy the supporting fingers extended; v Fig. 26 is a fragmentary elevational detail in diagrammatic form showing one set of the smoothers or pressers embracing the tire on the drum;

Fig. 27 is an end elevational detail showing the supporting ring for one of the smoothers illustrated in Fig. 26;

' Fig. 28 is a sectional detail taken substantially on the line 28-28 of Fig. 27 enlarged with respect thereto showing the latch ring in released position;

Fig. 29 is a sectional detail similar to Fig. 28 showing the latch ring in operative position;

Fig. 30 is a transverse sectional detail showing one of the stitchers and the actuating mechanism therefor, being taken substantially on the line indicated at 30-30 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 31 is a sectional detail taken substantially on the line 3l-3l of Fig. 30;

Fig. 32 is a fragmentary detail partly in section showing the stitcher weights and their guides;

Fig. 33 is a horizontal detail showing one of the clutches and taken substantially on the line 33-33 of Fig. 5, being enlarged with respect thereto;

Fig. 34 is a front elevational view with parts lokgiai away of the clutch mechanism shown in Fig. 35 is a sectional detail taken substantially on the line 35-35 of Fig. '34 showing the clutch disengaged;

Fig. 36 is a fragmentary detail similar to Fig. 35 showing the clutch in engaged position;

Fig. 37 is a sectional detail with parts broken away taken substantially on the line indicated at 31-31 of Fig. 4 showing the manner in which the actuating arms for the folders are mounted;

Fig. 38 is a vertical sectional detail showing the latch for the carriage shifting crank;

Fig. 39 is a side elevational view of the servicer in diagrammatic form which supplies materials used in the building of tires in accordance with the method and by means of the apparatus herein disclosed;

Fig. 40 is a Wiring diagram showing the electrical connections for controlling the operation of the mechanism; and

Figs. 41 through 53 are diagrammatic sectional views showing successive stages in the building of a pneumatic vehicle tire by the method of the present invention with the apparatus illustrated.

The tire builder of the present invention comprises arbase A on which is mountedv a main or stationary supporting structure M and a movable supporting structure or carriage C. Between the supporting structures and in the central- .part of the machine is mounted a collapsible drum or form D. In the following description of .the machine, these parts, together with the main drive, are indicated by numerals under 100. Each of the supporting structures M and C has mounted thereon a number of devices for smoothing and pressing rubber ply material R on the drum or form D, setting a bead B against the ply material on the drum, and folding the ply material over the bead. The smoothing, setting, and folding devices carried by the structure C operate over or in relation to the left hand end ofthe drum D, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, while the corresponding devices carried by the structure M operate over or in relation to the right hand end of the drum or form. Bead supporting and pressing devices collectively, referred to as bead holders H, are indicated in the description by numerals in the s. .Devices movable over only relatively small portions of the drum at the ends thereof for compacting and smoothing the rubber ply material are indicated at S and are identiiied by reference numerals in the 200s. Folders F are provided for folding marginal edge portions of the rubber and cord ply material around the beads B. These folders are referred to in the description by numerals in the 300s. Primary smoothers or pressers, indicated generally at P, are movable over the major portions of the opposite ends of the drum andvin the description are referred to by numerals in the 400s. Stitcher Wheels W for applying localized pressure to the tire building machine on the drum D are identified in the description by numerals in the 500s, while numerals in the 600s are used in the description of suitable service or supply equipment E. Con- 

